Grapes & Grains

Beer, Wine, Spirits and Food from Happy Harry's

Over the past five years, the majority of new products in the distilled spirits category have revolved around new flavor introductions, mostly vodka.  In the past year, America’s two biggest whiskey distillers have made a bold move by “flavoring” their whiskies…including Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s.

While flavored Brandy and whiskey have been around for years, this new breed of flavored spirits is very different from its predecessors.  Older versions tend to be more cordial-like with a sweet, sticky flavor and texture.  The new style of flavored whiskies are designed more to reflect their native spirit and to be mixed in cocktails or served over ice.  The most common flavors being produced right now are honey and cherry, but you will also find blackberry, vanilla and spiced. 

Here is a look at a few of the new flavored whiskies!

PHILLIPS UNION VANILLA: 

A blend of Canadian whiskey and Bourbon, Phillips Union uses Madagascar Vanilla to give this whiskey a soft vanilla aroma and sweetness.  The whiskey is still the dominate trait of this spirit, while the vanilla accents the natural flavors of the whiskey obtained from barrel aging.  Phillips Union is smooth and delicate and very enjoyable over ice or as a substitute for Irish Whiskey in your favorite Irish Coffee recipe.

IRISH COFFEE

2 oz Phillips Union Vanilla

1 tsp sugar

6 oz black coffee

Top with whipped cream

 

BIRD DOG BLACKBERRY:

A blend of American Whiskey and blackberries provides a unique flavor of sweet blackberry fruit, vanilla and a slight hint of caramel sweetness.  Once again, the additional flavoring is secondary to the light-bodied American Whiskey style.  Best served over ice or try something new, a Perfect Blackberry Manhattan!

PERFECT BLACKBERRY MANHATTAN

(serve over ice)

¼ oz sweet vermouth

¼ oz dry vermouth

2 dashes of bitters

3 oz Bird Dog Blackberry

Garnish with blackberries

JIM BEAM RED STAG:

One of the classic Bourbon cocktails has always been the Manhattan with a cherry garnish.  Well take the classic Jim Beam, infuse it with sweet black cherries and the Manhattan will be the first thing that comes to mind.  When you first taste Red Stag, you will know it is Jim Beam because of the toasted oak and smoky flavors.  About halfway through the first taste, the cherry flavor explodes and then finishes with the smooth, rich flavor that Jim Beam is famous for.  Try chilled, over ice or mix up a Classic Manhattan. 

CLASSIC MANHATTAN

(serve over ice)

½ oz sweet vermouth

2 dashes cherry bitters

3 oz Red Stag

Garnish with maraschino cherries

JACK DANIEL’S TENNESSEE HONEY:

I am sure a lot of Jack Daniel’s fans, like myself, scratched their heads and said “WHAT IN THE WORLD, DON’T PUT HONEY IN MY JACK” when they caught sight of this new product.  I will be the first to admit I was very skeptical of this new release, but I will never second guess Jack Daniel’s again! 

The aroma of Jack’s sugar maple charcoal along with a sweet honey aroma, jump out of the bottle.  The flavors of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey are evident from start to finish along with flavors of butterscotch, vanilla, roasted nuts and caramel.  Jack Daniel’s Honey is definitely the sweetest of these new whiskies, but not too sweet!  Enjoy chilled, over ice or neat as an after dinner sipper.  I may even try using Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey to glaze a smoked ham!

Cheers,

Greg

UFF DA is a term many of us in the upper Midwest can relate to or identify, well I know of a great little winery from Missouri that uses their Scandinavian heritage and a little play on words to create some fun wines. 

OOVVDA, which is short for Overboe’s Own Viking Vintners Distinctive Alcohol, has been producing wine since 2005 just outside of Springfield, Missouri.  Brian Overboe, winery owner and winemaker, has carried on his family’s tradition of making wine and has taken it a step further.  Brian and his children are the 3^rd and 4^th generation winemakers from the Overboe family, who’s roots can be traced back to Norway in 1192.

The Overboe family takes pride in only producing wines from the best fruit, most of which is grown on the Oovvda Winery Estate.  Every batch of wine is hand crafted with only natural ingredients and they never use any artificial flavoring or color to change the characteristics of the fruit.  Oovvda produces wines that are dry to sweet in style, the most popular being their fruit wines.

Oovvda also produced a handful of grape wine including the Norton grape varietal, which is the official state grape of Missouri.  Along with the grape wines, here is a list of some of their fruit wines: Blackberry, Peach Melba (Peach/Raspberry blend), Red Plum, Apple, Cherry and Blueberry.

Here are my tasting notes on a few of the Oovvda fruit wines:

NORTHSTAR CHERRY:  At first you will notice almost a cranberry tartness followed by a soft and lively cherry finish with a hint of cinnamon spice.  This would be a great wine for your upcoming Easter gatherings, serve with ham or turkey.

PEACH MELBA:  A blend of peach and raspberry wines, smells identical to Peach Melba Jam!  The sweet peach flavors are accented nicely by the crisp raspberry flavors.  I recommend with desserts like peach cobbler or peach pie.

BLUEBERRY:  Beautiful ruby red color, tastes like fresh picked blueberries, flavor is nicely balanced with sweetness and a clean finish.  My favorite of the four wines, would go great with a big slice of cheesecake.  

RED PLUM:  Flavor reminds me of eating a slightly under ripe plum, it has great plum flavor with just the right amount of sweetness.  Try serving the Red Plum with any meat that you have prepared with a sweet BBQ sauce.

The one thing in common about the above wines is that they are all labeled “sweet”, but don’t let that scare you off!  They actually have nice fruit sweetness, not a syrup or sugar sweetness.

Cheers,

Greg

I would go out on a limb and say I try 15 to 20 new products each week.  Some are good and others, not so good!  This week Grapes and Grains with help you find your way to some new hidden treasures!  From beer to wine, this list includes raspberries, apple pie, chocolate and even a little hockey!  Take a minute and read through my “new release” selections and try something different this weekend!     

SHOCK TOP RASPBERRY WHEAT:  This is a line extension of Anheuser-Busch’s widely popular Shock Top.  Shock Top Raspberry is an unfiltered wheat ale brewed with citrus peels, coriander and raspberry essence.  With the first sip you notice the flavor of the orange peels followed by a light raspberry flavor that is neither sweet or tart…nicely balanced flavors all around.  This light bodied beer is will be perfect for spring and summer gatherings.

MOTHERS APPLE PIE CORDIAL:  Just as you would expect from the name, this cordial tastes just like apple pie in a glass!  The aromas of cinnamon, clove, caramel and red apple jump out of the glass and entice you to take a sip.  You will notice the spiciness of the clove on your tongue followed by sweet apple flavors.  Best served as an after dinner drink straight up, over ice or mixed with some hot apple cider.    

KNOB CREEK SINGLE BARREL RESERVE:  Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is the 5^th label added to Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection.  This Bourbon is aged 9 years, hand selected barrel by barrel and bottled at 120 proof.  The result is a bold expression of a true Kentucky Bourbon.  Even at 120 proof, Knob Creek Single Barrel is incredibly smooth and balanced.  The 9 years of aging gives this bourbon overwhelming aromas and flavors of wood, vanilla and caramel.  Best served cut with spring water or over ice.

WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES CABERNET SAUVIGNON:  Yes, even hockey legend Wayne Gretzky owns a winery now!  This is the first installment of Gretzky’s California wines, a beautifully crafted Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  A mouthful of black cherry and blackberry flavors with hints of black pepper and toasted oak on the finish.  A portion of the proceeds from Gretzky’s wines are donated to the Wayne Gretzky Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to provide less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the sport of hockey.

RED DECADENCE CHOCOLATE WINE:  All I can say is WOW!  If you are looking for something different…here you go!  Take a fruit forward red wine, add dark chocolate and enjoy.  One of my favorite food pairings has always been big red wines with dark chocolate desserts, Red Decadence makes it simple by putting the chocolate in the bottle for you.  At first you notice a little sweet cherry/raspberry fruit and suddenly the velvety taste of dark chocolate come out of nowhere and lingers for what seems to be an eternity.   

Cheers,

Greg

The holidays are knocking on our front door! Chances are pretty good that you have a few people on your shopping list that you just have no idea what to buy. 

Fortunately, I may have a few solutions for the problem.  During the holidays, numerous distilleries release “gift set” packages that come with glassware, bar supplies and trinkets of all sort.  The best part is that most distilleries don’t charge a higher price for these gift set and the trinkets are essentially free! Plus, they are prepackaged and ready to be wrapped.

Here is a short list of some unique sets that I think may be able to fill some voids in your shopping list:

HPNOTIQ LIQUOR:  Hpnotiq is a great cordial that is best served over ice or chilled before serving.  Hpnotiq is a blend of exotic fruit juices, vodka and cognac that has a brilliant blue color.  The light and fruity flavor makes this a perfect gift for anyone who likes tropical drinks!               

-The gift set includes an ice bucket to chill down the bottle and 2 martini style glasses

E&J VSOP BRANDY:  E&J VSOP brandy is aged longer for a fuller and richer flavor.  One of the best buys on the shelf if you are shopping for brandy.  This a perfect gift for any brandy or cognac drinker! 

-The gift set includes a 6 oz Stainless Steel Flask embossed with the E&J VSOP logo.

GLENLIVET SINGLE MALT SCOTCH:  Glenlivet is one of the most well known names in single malt scotch!  Glenlivet has everything you would expect from a great 12 year old scotch.  Nicely balanced flavors of toasted oak, smoky peat and a hint of spice on the finish.  Great gift for any scotch lover!

-The gift set includes 2 scotch glasses, a 50ml bottle of Glenlivet 15 year old and a 50 ml bottle of Glenlivet 18 year old.

FORTY CREEK CANADIAN WHISKEY:  Whiskey Maker and owner John Hall personally blends every batch of Forty Creek Whiskey.  Forty Creek is one of the few Canadian whiskeys that age the corn whiskey, rye whiskey and grain whiskey separately and then blends the three to create one of the highest rated Canadian whiskeys in the world!  Forty Creek will be appreciated by anyone who enjoys bourbon, Canadian whisky or Irish Whiskey.

-The gift set includes 2 rocks glasses with the Forty Creek logo.

MAKER’S MARK BOURBON:  Maker’s Mark is my favorite Bourbon!  Maker’s Mark uses more corn in their blend which gives it a hint of caramel sweetness. Maker’s Mark has an unbelievable smoothness and richness which makes it perfect for a Manhattan or just sipping.  Maker’s Mark is best known for their trademark red wax dipped bottles.

-The gif set includes a limited edition red wax dipped ornament.

CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA:  Crystal Head Vodka was founded and owned by actor Dan Aykroyd!  Crystal Head tastes like no other vodka in the world and is made with deep glacial aquifer Newfoundland water.
It is quadruple distilled, filtered three times through charcoal and then filtered three times through Herkimer diamonds.  The legend of the 13 crystal heads dates back over 30,000 years and the heads are believed to offer spiritual power and enlightenment to those who see them or possess them.  Crystal Head Vodka bottles are a symbol of life and represent the idea that every day is a new beginning.  For more information about Crystal Head Vodka and the legend of the crystal head visit: http://crystalheadvodka.com

-The gift set includes 2 crystal head glasses.

Happy shopping to everyone and I hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday season!

Cheers!

Greg

As fall and winter descend upon us, we begin to think about snow, blizzards, 70 below wind chill and holiday gatherings.  This is also the time of the year when a plethora of new items begin to adorn the shelves of your favorite stores.  Here is a preview of a few new items that are now available!

CREAM-ALCOHOL INFUSED WHIPPED CREAM

CREAM offers a new and refreshing experience that takes cocktails, mixed drinks and desserts to a whole new level.  These whipped creams are rich and full of flavor and are perfect with coffee, hot chocolate and numerous other cocktails that call for whipped cream.  Try them with your favorite desserts such as pumpkin pie, cheesecake or even cream puffs!  Cream is currently available in 5 flavors: Cherry, Raspberry, Chocolate, Vanilla or Caramel.  The alcohol content is 15 % or 30 proof.  Cream is for adults 21 years of age and older and does not have to be refrigerated!  Visit http://givemecream.com/recipes/ for some great cocktail ideas!

BIG FAT LLAMA WINES

BIG FAT LLAMA is a new Chilean Winery offering fantastic wines at a very reasonable price!   

Big Fat Llama Chardonnay has flavors of sweet apple and tropical fruit with just the right balance of toasted oak on the finish.  The low acidity of this Chardonnay makes it a perfect food wine.  Try Big Fat Llama Chardonnay with your Thanksgiving Turkey dinner.

Big Fat Llama Merlot is a beautiful, rich, velvety Merlot that is hard to beat at twice the price!  Aromas of blueberry and cherry with a smooth and flavorful finish.  Try with prime rib or beef stew.

Big Fat Llama Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep ruby-red color, juicy flavors of blackberries and just a hint of black pepper.  Try with grilled red meats or even dark chocolate!

SAMUEL ADAMS CRANBERRY LAMBIC 

Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic is a fruit beer that draws its flavor not just from the cranberries it’s brewed with, but also from the unique fermentation character imparted by the weissbier yeast. The result is a flavor rich in fruitiness and reminiscent of cranberries, bananas, cloves, and nutmeg.  While Cranberry Lambic is not really a “new” item, it is the first year it is available outside of Samuel Adams twelve pack sampler.  This seasonal beer will be gone soon, so enjoy now!

JACK DANIELS 160^th BIRTHDAY COMMEMERATIVE BOTTLE

2010 commemorates Jack Daniel’s 160^th birthday.  I’m not talking about the distillery, but Jack Daniel himself.  As a matter of fact, no one knows exactly when Jack’s birthday is because a fire destroyed the courthouse records.  Therefore, in Lynchburg they celebrate Jack’s Birthday the entire month of September. This ebony black bottle is available in limited quantities and is perfect for any Jack Daniel’s aficionado or rare bottle collector.

Cheers!

Greg